Every automaker was expecting, or at least really hoping for, a dramatic rise in sales at the beginning of this year. Something in the lower double digits would have been an excellent start, a nice way to bring in the new year. Hyundai is one of those for which such dreams came true – the Korean automaker's dealers posted a 128-percent increase in sales in January.

Among the popular vehicles in the showroom blitz was the 2010 Tucson, leading Hyundai to boost production to meet demand. It's a great problem to have, especially after selling just 15,000 of the previous model last year. Hyundai America's CEO said the company foresees a "huge boost" this year. Part of that can be attributed to the troubles faced by a certain Japanese automaker, while another chunk of that gain is simply down to the fact that Hyundai is making some very good machinery.